Made by a Fabricista: Montauk + Chai = Casual Summery Outfit

Hey sewing friends! I hope your summer is treating you right thus far and you're soaking in the rays (if that's your thing). I've basically been sewing current-season clothes as of late, but I just realized that these pants will happily see me through practically the end of the year.

By this point, you know how much I love linen! I love sewing with it and I love wearing it. I reached a little outside my comfort zone with this color, choosing a light and pretty Cornmeal Linen and I'm really happy that I made the effort. This texture is really lovely and quite soft. While some linens like to crease deeply, this texture is far more of a light rumpled effect. Perfect because they look presentable right out of the dryer. The nuanced buttery yellow is a little lighter than I imagined and quite a lively neutral. I had planned from the get-go for this yardage to be some type of bottom half of an outfit, and this will look marvelous with many solid colors or prints on top, don't you think?

Because linen makes good pants even more magical, I poked around for a pattern style that would pair nicely and came across the Liesl + Co Montauk Trousers. Just the word "trousers" alone elevates them well beyond "pants." 😂 They appear nicely drafted and include great illustrated instructions. I checked the fit with a quick pocketless muslin in size 4 and my only change was add 1/2" to the back rise. Easy! They are straightforward and if you're familiar with sewing pants, you probably won't even need to reference the instructions. The hem slit is a particularly great detail, and I'm imagining adding elastic to the hem cuffs for a different look on another pair.

My Montauks needed an equally summery top, so I stuck with the same designer, Liesl + Co, and fell in love with the shoulder pleats of the Chai Tee. Again, the instructions included are very clear to follow (always important to me!) as are the illustrations. I love a soft, drapey knit top, and as a bonus, the Chai Tee states you can size up and sew a woven too. The shape of the sleeve cuffs is beautiful, and the yoke is sewn with a burrito roll so the inside is finished neatly. There's nothing like a finished garment that's classy inside and out.

My Chai Tee fabric is a slightly weighty and completely gorgeous shade of dark pink called Muted Wine. The fibers are a blend of rayon and cotton and lycra. The cotton lends some perfect sturdiness since rayon I find can be delicate in any fabric weave, and I love love love the 8% lycra content. The fabric recovers so well and maintains the beautiful drape too. After sewing with the higher lycra content a few times, I vastly prefer this amount in a rayon knit.

And we get to the cherry on top! How gorgeous are these Kylie and the Machine tags? I've been admiring them on Instagram for ages, and finding them at Fabric Mart was a big thrill. They add a level of professionalism to my clothing and are really stinkin' cute at the same time! This pack has 14 teeny tags, two of each color and I had a lot of fun musing over which color label to add to my garments. I will definitely be adding more KATM tags to my sewing projects and getting my hands on more of the different designs. They are just a delight.

I hope you're inspired to add a new designer to your repertoire or to try a fun color of linen in your upcoming sews.

Happy summer!

KATIE | @kak513

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories JERSEY KNIT & LINEN.
You can also shop our newly added Liesl + Co Patterns HERE.
And our selection of Kylie and the Machine tags HERE.

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

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